Life is better in Nature

Fortunately, we live in a beautiful state with gorgeous beaches, amazing hiking and biking trails and parks galore. Good news! You don’t need to get away or take a vacation to de-stress and have a beautiful physical and mental break. In fact, you can have a real vacation right here on the Connecticut shoreline.

Have you ever noticed that your mood, your body, your whole mindset feels better after spending time outdoors? There is a reason for that and it’s very biological. We human beings are meant to be in nature. In fact a recent study shows how a walk at the beach or in the park not only soothes our minds but actually changes the workings of our brains in ways that improve our mental health. There is mounting research that proves the many whole-body benefits of time outdoors.

“Get outdoors! Being in nature feeds your body and your soul and on a micro-level it changes your DNA, helping your body heal. It’s a no-brainer for anyone that wants to be happier, feel better and be more vital”, shares Linda Gottlieb, founder of Milford’s FIT Training.

90 Minutes: Blood flow to the area of your brain involved with negative thoughts is reduced.

3 Days: Your natural killer cells, which are critical to the immune system, become stronger.

The message is clear: and this is so very important for our kids too. The National Wildlife foundation started an initiative called the Be Out There Campaign citing some very sobering stats about how childhood has moved indoors. In fact, children are spending half as much time outdoors as they did 20 years ago and in a typical week only 6% of children ages 9-13 play outdoors on their own. 6%! I don’t know about you, but my best childhood memories were on my bike, in the woods and at the lake and it’s through these adventures that I felt most alive, experienced the world through all my senses and bonded with those I love.

Move your body, create some great adventures, and if you have kids, get them off their devices and help them experience the beauty of the world through their own senses. No matter where you are, take time to simply be. Be present. Notice. And enjoy.

“Life consists only of moments, nothing more than that. So if you make the moments matter, it all matters.” – Dr. Ellen Langer, Harvard psychologist